Daily Loaf

Florida Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson has made a name for himself over the past year — mostly among Netroots Nation Democrats who have been impressed by his fiery partisan language.

But the Orlando freshman has been catapulted into a whole new world of media coverage over the past 48 hours, after this statement: “The Republican health-care plan: Don’t get sick….if you’re sick, America, the Republican health-care plan is this: Die quickly!”

After being blasted by the GOP for his remarks and called upon to apologize, Grayson did — to the dead.

Citing a recent Harvard University study that reported that nearly 45,000 people have died because of a lack of health insurance,  Grayson then said, “I apologize to the dead and their families that we haven’t voted sooner to end this holocaust in America.”

Using the H-word, Holocaust, brought a new onslaught of criticism from the GOP.

Boca Raton State GOP Representative Adam Hasner, never one to refrain from throwing verbal bombs at liberals, called the comment “outrageous” and “unfit for someone holding office.”

Download the report here.

Grayson (who is Jewish) is a relative newcomer to the national scene, but he should know at the age of  51 that invoking Nazi’s or the Holocaust is never a smart path to tread — it’s simply too controversial, and obscures whatever message one tries to invoke.

But I’m sure many Florida Democrats are applauding his comments.  It reminds me of when Howard Dean, running for president in 2003, electrified a campaign audience by declaring that he was “representing the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party.” That’s after most Democrats fell into line in supporting George W. Bush’s call to authorize him going to war in Iraq.

Speaking of civility in politics, former President Bill Clinton addressed the subject last night during his speech in Sarasota.  Clinton invoked his relationship with the Bushes (both H.W. and W.) as an example of how lawmakers can transcend partisan politics for the higher good.  Just don’t get him started on Ken Starr.

Speaking of Sarasota, a resident of that area, WEDU’s president and CEO, Dick Lobo, is stepping down as head of Tampa Bay’s major PBS affiliate.

I have met the man on only a few occasions, but he’s a class guy.  Very progressive.  I saw him at a few WMNF events over the years, including at a speech given by radical journalist Greg Palast in Tampa a few years ago.

And speaking of media figures: Channel 10’s Mike Deeson is making news today instead of reporting it (never a good thing for a reporter).  Both local papers are reporting today about a tete-a-tete between the longtime newsman and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s officials yesterday, after the department banned him from a news conference yesterday.

The department is saying that Deeson was “abusive” to an employee. Whatever. The man is definitely one of the finest reporters in town today, and I have much respect for him and his work. Hopefully, everything can be worked out.

And in national/international news, President Obama, Vice President Biden and a host of Pentagon officials and generals hunkered down in the White House yesterday to begin the strategy talks about Afghanistan.

What I found interesting in this NY Times story was the following comparison, which describes the importance of the fight there in terms of protecting lives in America:

Stephen Biddle, a scholar at the Council on Foreign Relations who has advised Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the commander in Afghanistan, said the chances of a new Qaeda stronghold that could threaten American territory was relatively low but that even a small risk was a concern.

“It’s like buying life insurance for a 50-year-old,” Mr. Biddle said. “The odds of a 50-year-old dying in the next year in America are substantially less than 1 percent. And yet most Americans buy life insurance.”

Interesting analogy, indeed.  And of course, today the St. Pete City Council is debating the issue of vacating the sidewalk in front of BayWalk — stay tuned for more developments on this site today and tomorrow about that.

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